1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for the automatic delivery of fuel to motor vehicles. The present invention relates more specifically to improved methods and devices for the control, management and accounting of fuel delivery to motor vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of systems currently exist that permit controlled delivery of fuel to fleets of vehicles operated by a single business or organization. Whether that business or organization maintains its own fueling depot, or contracts for and utilizes the services of an independent fueling depot, it is necessary to accurately track, control, and manage the use of fuel for the efficient operation of the business. Most systems currently in use incorporate certain basic elements that permit the operator of the vehicle to select and dispense fuel into the vehicle in a manner that provides an accounting and billing to the vehicle's owner and the operator's employer.
Most automated fuel delivery systems currently in use incorporate three general levels of components. These levels include: (1) a portable memory device typically carried with the vehicle or in the possession of the vehicle's operator, (2) a fuel delivery control device positioned at the fuel pump and capable of receiving the memory device from the vehicle's operator in order initiate the delivery of fuel, and (3) a central control unit connected in some manner to a number of fuel delivery control devices and capable of receiving information from these devices about the fueling transactions. In some instances, there is a fourth level of operation connected by way of a communications link (such as a telephone line) to a centralized management system that might communicate with and control a number of central control units.
In any case, the goals of such systems include: (a) the controlled delivery of fuel in appropriate amounts to only the appropriate vehicles associated with the company; (b) the accounting of fuel delivery amounts for the purposes of billing and/or expensing such costs; and (c) managing fuel usage in order to identify and resolve problems with vehicles and/or vehicle operators.
There are in addition other existing systems associated with such fuel delivery systems that monitor and control the level of fuel in the storage tanks that supply the delivery systems. While there are many devices on the market designed to monitor and alert fuel depot operators to the level of fuel within fuel storage tanks, very few such systems are fully integrated into the automated fuel delivery systems that control the operation of the fuel pumps. Typically, such fuel storage tank monitors operate on systems independent from the fuel delivery control systems.
The most basic systems in the field described above utilize credit card type devices that are carried by the vehicle's operators and which prompt the delivery of fuel when inserted into the control devices associated with each fueling station. In most cases, these fuel delivery control devices are positioned one for each fueling island and serve to activate or deactivate a number of fuel pumps positioned on the fueling island. The vehicle operator would typically insert or slide the magnetic card through a card reader on the control device in order to activate fuel delivery. The control device may require that additional information be input by way of a keypad or similar feature. The device then verifies the validity of the information contained on the magnetic card and then activates the flow of the fuel to the vehicle.
As indicated above, such fuel delivery control devices are typically linked to a central control unit positioned within an office or building associated with the fueling depot. This communication link is typically a hard wire line although in some instances, radio telemetry links are utilized. The fuel control device will communicate various types of information about the vehicle and operator attempting to obtain fuel and will receive some verification from the central controller to validate the transaction. In addition, information associated with the completed transaction is communicated back from the control device to the central control processor. In this manner, a centralized record of the fueling transaction is maintained. This is in addition to the centralized control of the activation of the fuel delivery systems.
Examples of various patents in the field associated with the present invention include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,282 issued to Hollidge on Jun. 25, 1991, entitled Interactive Pump System. This patent describes a system capable of interacting with and responding to prompts from a vehicle operator. The system includes a pump, a central processing unit connected to the pump and a display and input device. The central processing unit receives input from the vehicle operator and controls the pump according to these inputs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,501 issued to Comer, et al. on Jan. 21, 1997 entitled System for Dispensing Fuel at Remote Locations, and Method of Operating Same. This patent describes a system that includes an operations control center and a number of remotely located fuel dispensing modules in wireless communication with the control center. The control center processes information related to the dispensing of fuel and authorizes the dispensing of fuel upon receipt of appropriate payment information. The structure of the system is such that it may operate independently of external connections to electrical power and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,135 issued to Lieto, et al. on Mar. 29, 1994, entitled Direct Interface between a Fuel Pump and Computer Cash/Register. The interface unit described in this patent includes a controller and a variety of communication links between the controller and fuel dispensing devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,906 issued to Pusic on Feb. 13, 1990 entitled Automated Fuel Pump Controlling System. This patent describes a system that includes a magnetic card reading device to read and verify payment for the delivery of fuel. The patent also describes elements that permit the user of the magnetic card to enter further required information to verify and control the delivery of fuel. The system anticipates multiple devices, each capable of operating independently for controlling the tasks to be performed in the process of delivering fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,859 issued to Dow, Jr., et al. on Nov. 5, 1985, entitled Micro-processor Control Fluid Dispensing System. This patent describes an automated system for controlling and monitoring an array of fluid dispensing pumps. The system incorporates a control panel or console that displays such information as price per gallon, transaction limits, pump enablement, pump identity and status, dispensed fuel values, dispensed fuel volume and other display controls. The micro-processor is connected to console equipment for maintenance of appropriate records on the delivery of fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,371 issued to Walsh, et al. on Apr. 14, 1987, entitled Fuel Dispensing and Vehicle Maintenance System with Onboard Computer. This system incorporates additional features and devices maintained on the vehicle itself that permit the automatic updating of information within the fuel control system about the vehicle's condition and fuel needs. The communication of this information from the device on the vehicle to the device at the fueling station is by way of a magnetic transfer key. Various limits are identified within the information to alert the vehicle operator of the need for vehicle maintenance or an inappropriate fuel delivery request.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,877 issued to Langston, et al. on Nov. 23, 1982, entitled Distributed Data Processing System and Method for a Fluid Dispenser. This patent describes an improved control system that uses a central console control to supervise and monitor the dispensing operation of a number of independent dispensers. The system anticipates the independent operation of the dispensers apart from the console in the event of its failure or in the event of desired manual operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,326 issued to Warn, et al. on Dec. 2, 1997 entitled Fuel Pump-Card Reader Control Center. The system described in this patent is the basic debit/credit card reader positioned at each of a plurality of fuel dispensing pumps at a fuel depot. This system anticipates a centralized fuel pump/card reader control center connected to a network of data processing devices which are themselves connected by remote communication to a central office.
Various problems exist with each of the systems that are currently in use in this field. Since each system relies upon the accurate communication of verification data and transaction data between the various components in the system, each is subject to failure when the communication links between the components fail. In other words, many systems rely upon the validation of a transaction and the recording of transactional data at a central control site remote from the fueling pump itself. Because of this, the failure of the communication link between the central control site and the fueling pump will necessarily require deactivation of the delivery system as a whole. In addition, many such systems control a number of fuel pumps through a single fuel island controller which results in the deactivation of an entire fuel island when the communication link between the controller and the central control site fails.
Beyond the problems associated with intrasystem communications, there are also a number of problems associated with the maintenance of databases that are used to operate these fuel delivery systems and the updating of information in these databases on a timely basis. These database problems complicate the system's ability to overcome the failure of a communication link between components in the system. One solution to overcoming communication link problems is instilling within each component of the system the ability to independently verify the validity of a transaction and to maintain transactional data. The problem that then arises is that even if each component has the capability of storing the information necessary to validate a transaction and retain transaction data, it is imperative for that information to be readily available at remote fueling sites to prevent duplicate or repetitive fueling in violation of the system's controls. In other words, the current systems cannot typically handle situations where, when communication links fail, a vehicle operator tries to fuel a number of different vehicles with a single, apparently appropriate, magnetic card or key.
There are many additional problems associated with the failure of the typically weak communication links found in the systems described in the prior art. Many such systems require that the system operator provide update information to each individual fuel controller in order to maintain the full operation of the system. Other systems require such frequent sharing of central controller resources that actual delivery of fuel can be delayed or drawn out significantly while a fuel dispensing controller seeks access to the central control system. In addition, few if any of the fueling systems in the prior art incorporate the feature of monitoring fuel storage tank level as a means for verifying and further managing the fuel inventory at the fueling depot. Comparing transactional data from the fuel delivery system that controls the flow of fuel from the fuel storage tank with the actual level of fuel within the fuel storage tank, can provide significant information about the accuracy of the fuel delivery system and the environmental condition of the fuel storage tank.
It would be desirable therefore, to have a fuel control system that permits the automated monitoring and control of vehicle fleet fueling activity without many of the problems associated with the prior art systems. It would be desirable for such a fuel control system to be capable of operation even when communication links between the components of the system fail or otherwise delay the relay of information. It would be preferable for such a system to permit the valid delivery of fuel to a vehicle from a fuel pump through a control device, even when the control device is not in direct communication with a centralized processor. It would preferable if such a system could not only permit the independent identification of a valid transaction but also retain transactional data at a remote site or in a remote location for later access and downloading into the central processing unit.